Family
by Amywxue
Summary: When two injured strangers knock at their hideout's door, Train discovers that there may be more to this couple than meets the eye. And what's this strange feeling that Train gets whenever he is near them? Are they even strangers after all?
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone! I just accepted the "Black Cat's Family Challenge" by TiffRedd1994. It's basically your own thoughts on the idea:**

**"What if Train's parents did NOT die? What if they changed their name to hide from that assassin?"**

**And then what if they met their long-lost son again?**

**I was really intrigued, so I decided to accept the challenge :D, so here it is!**

**Disclaimer - I don not own Black Cat**

**Prologue**

"Hey, Sven!" Train called. "What's for dinner? I'm starving!"  
The green-haired man looked up, irritated. "Just order pizza or something..."  
"Aw, come on! We've been living on two minute noodles for, like, the last month!" Train moaned.  
"Don't be silly Train, we've only been here for a week," Eve sighed. She was reading the new book that she had got from the library - 101 Ways To Train your Cat. Hey...  
"Yeah well, it feels like a month," Train muttered. "Oh, I know! What about we go in town for dinner?"  
"That sounds good," Eve commented.  
"Hey! I'm starting to feel like the father here. How many times do I have to explain to you two that WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY?!"  
"Well, a father should take care of his kids," Train said innocently.  
Sven sighed in defeat. "All right..."

* * *

**Later, at the restaurant...**

"Now THAT was what I call a meal!" Train said happily.  
"Yeah...and this is what I call an empty wallet," Sven muttered, holding a, well, empty wallet. Train, however, didn't seem to hear. He was already snoring. "Che... he's really just like a cat. Eat and sleep."  
"What do you think he was like when he was a Chronos number?" Eve asked suddenly.  
"Huh? You've met him before Eve, he tried to kill you, remember? Back then he was a cold-hearted assassin.  
"No, I meant how he behaved and stuff..."  
Sven frowned thoughtfully. "Well, he never used to open up this much to people, that's for sure..." Seeing his companion's quizzical look, he explained, "He told us that Saya was the one that changed him, remember?"  
Eve nodded. True...  
"Aw, now we have no money at all!" Sven moaned.  
"Why don't we go catch a bounty while he's asleep then?" Eve suggested. "Then we can act like nothing happened, and he won't know we got more money."  
"That's a good idea!" Sven grinned evilly. "Come on, help me drag him to the hideout..."  
This didn't prove to be as hard as they thought. Considering that he had just eaten a full course, Train was surprisingly light. 'Where does all that food even go?' Sven sweat-dropped.  
"Right!" Sven announced, dusting his hands. "Let's go."

* * *

**Some time later...**  
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*  
"Huh?" Train yawned, waking up from his comfortable cat-nap. "Did Sven leave his keys inside again?" He looked around the dark room. "Where are they anyways? I don't sense them around..."  
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*  
"Please!" A faint voice called. "Please, open the door!" Train was instantly on high alert. The voice was unmistakeably female - but too low to be Princesses. Train peeked out of the window, and saw that it was raining hard outside. Squinting through the foggy glass, he could just make out the shape of two figures. A man and a woman. But something was wrong. With his highly-trained vision, he could tell that the man's leg was bent at an unnatural angle. He'd broken his leg! After a moment of hesitation, he placed his hand lightly on Hades and unlocked the door. As he had guessed, it was a man and a woman.  
"Oh, thank you!" The woman gasped, struggling under the weight of the man. "While we were on the mountains, we got lost, then the rain started, and my husband here slipped and broke his leg..." She looked up at him anxiously. "Do you think we would be able to stay here for a while?"  
Train looked them up and down - they weren't carrying any weapons, and he couldn't sense any intent to hurt or kill, so he nodded once and stepped back to let them through. The woman beamed. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" After murmuring to her husband, she hobbled in.  
"You can rest over here for now," Train gestured to the couch. "I'll go make some hot drinks. But firstly, do you mind if I call my friends? It's just that we kinda share this house..."  
"Oh, please go ahead!" The woman replied. "Don't let us get you in trouble." Train nodded, and picked up the phone, dialing Sven's number.  
"Hello?" Came the reply.  
"Sven, you idiot! Where are you?" Train snapped. There was a pause at the other end of the phone. Train made out some words like "He found out".  
"Anyways," Train continued, "Can you hurry back? There's some injured people here." Then he gave them the thirty seconds version on what happened.  
"We'll be right back," Sven reported. Then he hung up. Train turned his attention back to the couple.  
"Sorry, but I don't actually have any experience on first aid," he apologized. "But one of my friends do, and they'll be coming back soon. Meanwhile..." He pulled out two spare towels and blankets from the shelves. "You can warm yourselves with these."  
"Thank you," The woman said gratefully, carefully wrapping them around her husband.  
"Th-th-ank y-you..." The husband's teeth were chattering.  
"Don't mention it," Train assured them. "Why were you on the mountains anyway?"  
"H-h-herbs..." The man chattered.  
"We work for the herb shop," The woman explained.  
"Oh! I see... well, I'll better go make some drinks now. Coffee or tea?"  
"Tea for me, please," The woman said.  
"C-c-c-c..."  
"Coffee?" Train guessed. The man nodded. "Got it."  
As he began making the drinks, he though to himself - 'That's weird. Why do I feel like I've seen them before?'  
And, for some reason, a random memory of his childhood - he couldn't remember much - floated into his mind. It was one of his mother hugging him. He stopped moving, golden eyes growing distant as he felt the warmth of the memory. It was the first time he remembered feeling so warm, and so... safe. Train couldn't see her face, but he did smell something like... herbs?

**So that was the prologue! Thanks for reading! Please review! Huge thanks to TiffRedd1994 for suggesting the challenge. First chapter up soon. Thanks again! **


	2. They're Strangers Or Are They?

**Strangers**

**Hehe, I was so intrigued that I can't stop writing this, so here's the 'new' chapter! Oh, I forgot to mention this last time, but this story follows the Black Cat anime, except that Train doesn't leave Sven and Eve. Train is about 18.  
**

**Disclaimer - I do not own Black Cat**

"Here's the drinks," Train announced, holding a cup of coffee, tea and a bottle of milk (for himself).

"Thank you," The woman accepted the cup gratefully. The husband gave a chatter as reply, which Train took as a 'thanks'. "Oh! How rude of us. We haven't even introduced ourselves!"

"It's fine," Train said quickly. "You don't have to if you don't want to." He knew that some people were unwilling to give out their personal details. "You don't have to. We don't mind. In fact, one of my companions would probably punch me if he heard that I turned down shelter for a lady." The woman looked confused. "He's obsessed with being 'Gentlemanly,'" Train explained, rolling his eyes. "He has this 'Gentleman Code', which is really this whole list of stuff that he makes up on the spot." The woman chuckled. Train frowned. It sounded...familiar.

"No, it's fine. My name Alison Halverson, and my husband is Blake Halverston."

"Nice to meet you," Train said. "I'm..."

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Train! Hurry up and open the stupid door! You said someone was hurt, didn't you? I left my keys in there!"

Train sighed. "And that would be my friend." The woman frowned.

"Your name's Train?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Why?"

"Nothing..."

"TRAIN!"

"COMING!" Train snapped. He opened the door to reveal a soggy Sven and Eve.

"About time!" Sven growled.

"Where's the patient?" Eve asked in a monotone.

"Over there," Train replied, gesturing to...what was his name? Blake. Eve set off to get the first aid kit. Train noticed Alison looking worried, and gave her a reassuring look. It must be unnerving to have a 11 year old tending to a broken leg. "She's really good," he assured her. "She saved my life more than once."

"Nice to meet you," Sven said courteously to Alison. "My name is Sven Vollfied. The girl there is Eve, and this is my idiotic partner Train-"

"Shh!" Train suddenly hissed, interrupting Sven.

"What?" Sven asked, irritated. "You don't need to be shy to tell someone your last name!"

"I'm not shy!" Train snapped. "There's someone sneaking around outside." Train noticed that the couple had gone from pale to paler.

"You don't need to worry," Sven assured them. "We forgot to mention this, but we're sweepers."

"Sweepers?" Blake murmured, evidently able to speak again.

"Yup. Among the best," Sven bragged. Train snorted.

"Where's your suitcase?" Train asked.

"Er... It...kinda got...um...destroyed during the last bounty with Eve..."

"What?"

"And...Eve kinda got beaten up a little, and she can't morph for a while..."

"WHAT?!" Train sighed. "And that is why we do not go on bounty's by ourselves..."

"Anyways..." Sven clapped a hand on the teen's shoulder. "Up to you now, partner."

"So _now_ you call me partner?" Train muttered. But he still pulled out his gun, Hades. The couple gasped at the sight of the decorated gun.

"Don't worry," Sven repeated. "Train doesn't look it, but he's one of the best."

"What don't you mean, I don't look it?"

"Well, you're 18!"

"That has nothing to do with being a gunman!" Train complained, quietly.

"Well no-one would guess that you were one!" Sven protested, equally quietly.

"Is this really the time to be arguing?" Eve asked mildly.

Train sighed, but still silently creeped up to the window, loading his gun. The couple huddled closer together. Using his gun, he pushed over a corner of the curtains aside.

"How can he see out there?" The man whispered. "It's pitch black!"

"Train can manage," Sven assured them.

"Who's there?" Train suddenly shouted.

"Ku, ku, ku... as expected from a top sweeper..." A man dressed in black stepped out from the shadows. "However, I have no business with you, sweeper. I understand that you have a couple currently under your care. My organization would want them very much, so please hand them over, and it will save all of us a lot of trouble."

"What couple?" Train called back. "There is only my friends and I here."

"Don't lie to us, sweeper..." The man purred. "We saw them come in..."

"Okay, you got me. But they left through the back door some time ago."

A gunshot sounded, and the woman gasped as the bullet went through the window.

"Don't lie, sweeper..." The man sneered. "Remember, I am at an advantage. I am outside, thus I can see you from out here, but you cannot see me from in there."

Train raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" He cocked his gun. "Shall we test that theory?" With that, he fired three bullets. One of them broke the window. The other two, however, found their mark effectively.

"How in the-" the man threw him a dirty look. "I'll be back, sweeper," The man hissed. "Until then..." And with that, he disappeared into the night.

"Now that that's settled," Train said breezily, turning to the couple. "Eve, how's that leg coming along?"

"It's fine now," Eve informed him, "As long as he doesn't move too violently." The last part was aimed at Alison. She nodded.

"Ok then...Now...do you mind telling us what that was all about?"

* * *

"We apologize for all the trouble," Alison bowed to the sweepers formally. "And thank you for not giving us away."

"No need to thank us," Train replied. "It wasn't that much of a deal."

"The truth is..." She took a deep breath. "We're being hunted by those people. You see, 11 years ago, one of the members from their organization tried to kill us." Train frowned. _11 years ago?_

"This organization's name... it wouldn't happen to be Chronos, would it?" Train asked. Sven looked up in alarm.

"Chronos? No, that wasn't the name..." All three sweepers breathed a sigh of relief.

"They're called the Zero Numbers." Train choked on the milk that he was drinking.

"They're a group of deadly assassins..." She looked at him in concern.

"He's OK," Sven pounded him on the back. "They're _that_ group, aren't they?" He hissed to Train. Train nodded glumly.

"They are," He sighed.

"We had a son, too..." Blake said softly. "But we think he was killed by the Zero Numbers."

Train's throat suddenly tightened. 11 years ago... the Zero Numbers... their son was killed...

Sven seemed to have put two and two together as well. "Oh my god..." He glanced at Train.

_'It's a coincidence," _Train told himself firmly.

"We got shot, too," Blake continued. "But miraculously, we managed to survive. Or son though..." The couple hugged each other tightly, tears welling in their eyes.

"How did you manage to survive this long?" Eve asked.

"We changed our last name," Alison replied, wiping away tears.

"Wh-what was your original last name?" Sven asked.

_'It's just a coincidence,__'_ Train repeated to himself over and over again. _'It couldn't possibly be...__'_

"Heartnet." Train's heart seemed to stop. Sven and Eve stared at Train, their mouth hanging open. Train closed his eyes and took deep breaths. He opened them again, and observed the confused couple more carefully. The man, Blake, had brown hair and blue green eyes. Alison, however, had blond hair and shockingly golden eyes. _'Why didn't I notice them before?' _Train wondered.

"Train..." Sven looked at him, worried. "Do you want me to...?"

"It's OK, Sven," Train forced a smile. "I'll say it." He fixed his gaze upon the couple sitting on the couch in front of him. _'All this time...'_ he thought in a slight daze. _'All this time, and I never knew...'_

"I never got around to telling you my last name, did I?" Train said, trying to sound casual.

Blake shook his head, his brow furrowing in a frown. Train tried to tame his pounding heart.

"My name is Train." He paused. "Train Heartnet."


	3. Past

**Sorry for the late chapter, to the few people that bothered to read my story! Hope you like it!  
**

* * *

**Past**

The couple stared at him. Train squirmed uncomfortably, not meeting their gaze.

"I-is it possible...?" Alison murmured. "I-is it really..." She looked at the teen standing in front of him. Until a few moments ago, the light had been turned off, so they hadn't gotten a proper look at him. But now that they _could_ see, she noted the color of his hair, the shape of his face. And his eyes... she stood up, now slightly taller than Train, forcing him to meet her eyes. He unwillingly obeyed. She gasped, tears welling in her eyes. This boy's eyes were the exact copy of hers - a deep gold. Blake scrambled up as well. Train turned his eyes on him, and the man caught his breath. Alison slowly reached out with a cautious hand. Train, however, stepped back.

"It's getting quite late," He said abruptly. "We should have some rest."

"But-" Alison protested.

"We're not-" Blake said at the same time.

"I know you may not feel tired," Train broke in. "But you've been through a lot tonight. You look dead on your feet." His tone was casual, but his usually breezy voice had a slightly sharp edge for it.

"But-"

"It could just be a coincidence," Train insisted. "Heartnet's a common name." Blake held a hand up, stopping his wife's response.

"He's right," Blake turned to Sven. "So if you wouldn't mind, could we...?"

"Of course!" Sven nodded. "We've got a spare bedroom right this way..." He threw Train a knowing look, then vanished upstairs, the couple following.

"Why did you change the subject?" Eve asked hesitantly, "Aren't you...glad to see them?"

Train laughed, watching the confused look on Eve's face. "Don't worry about it," He smiled, rubbing her hair, making her huff indignantly. "Get some sleep, Princess." With that, he went upstairs. Train found Sven waiting for him. Sven motioned towards his bedroom door. Train raised an eyebrow, and went in.

"Are you okay?" Sven asked, closing the door.

Train shrugged, smiling weakly up at his friend. "Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Sven sighed. "I know you too well to be fooled, Train. I think I can tell when you're agitated over something." Train chuckled.

"Shoulda known I couldn't fool you..."

"Well, with _that_ pathetic acting that you displayed back downstairs..." Train rolled his eyes. Then the whole shock and mental exhaustion finally caught up with him, and his knees just gave way. He fell back onto the wall, and slid down slowly, finally ending up on the floor. He buried his face in his hands. Sven crouched next to him

"So how do you feel?"

Train sighed into his palms.

"I dunno," He replied wearily.

"Aren't you glad to see them?" Sven asked, sounding remarkably like Eve earlier.

"Yes...well, maybe... Oh, I don't know anymore!" Train said desperately. "It's just that I've been away from them for so long... It's hard to explain." Sven nodded, understanding what the teen couldn't put into words. The pure shock of seeing your supposedly dead parents... he was surprised that the boy hadn't broken down there and then. But then, he had been trained not to show any emotion in Chronos. Sven glanced at the XIII tattoo on Train's chest - despite the fact that, undoubtedly, he _had_ changed, the time he spent as an assassin would still forever haunt him. _Was he like this when he just killed someone as well? _Sven wondered. He shuddered at the memory of the cold individual that he had first witnessed on the night that Lib Trident had been killed. "I'm not even sure if it is them..." Sven snorted.

"You serious? As is there could be anyone else with eyes like yours. And if Heartnet was a common name, I'm a turnip," Sven announced. That drew a burst of laughter from the ex-assassin.

"They could be contacts," He retorted feebly. "And they could've got my name from somewhere."

"Well, can't argue with that..." But the older man still looked unconvinced. And deep down, Train knew that he was probably right. It wasn't that he _didn't_ want his parents back - it's just his natural instinct to be cautious about something so personal. Dead relatives that just miraculously turn up on your doorstep, then turns out to be some trained assassins hired to assassinate you - oldest trick in the book. Train refused to easily take a bait held in front of him - unless there was enough proof.

"Get some sleep, Train," Sven told him. "You say that Blake looked dead on his feet? Obviously, you haven't taken a look in the mirror lately. Train pulled himself up, then play-punched Sven. Before he left, he called back, "Nighty-night, _grandpa_!"

"HEY!"

Train caught the lighter thrown at him, grinning.

"Oh, just get to bed," Sven growled, rolling his eyes. Sniggering, Train began walking off.

"Hey, come back!"

"What?" Sven held out his hand.

"Give the lighter...budget's tough, that's the only one I got."

"What did ya throw it at me then?"

"... It was the only thing I could find."

* * *

That night, though Train himself was tired, his sleep was fitful. He drifted in and out of sleep, and couldn't get back to his doze by five o clock. In the next room, he heard the sound of footsteps and some hushed voices. He stretched, and pulled the covers off. He was so tired last night, he's just fallen asleep in his clothes. The guests would probably be hungry -_ they didn't even have anything to eat last night_, Train thought guiltily. By the sound of the snoring in the other room, Sven - and most likely Princess - was still asleep. Which (unfortunately) left breakfast duty up to him. His hair was still a mess, but that couldn't be helped. Tucking Hades into the holster strapped to his leg - which he'd just remembered to take out three seconds before his head hit the pillow - he opened the door and stepped outside. Usually, this action would've been quiet and unnoticeable, but for the visitor's sake, he made more noise than necessary. A few seconds later, the guestroom door opened, and the couple walked out. For the briefest of moments, their eyes met. Then Train cleared his throat loudly, and the moment was over.

"Good morning," He said politely. "Did you sleep well?"

"Please, you don't have to act so polite." Train raised an eyebrow, and Blake laughed.

"We weren't cut of from society or anything," Alison smiled. "We know when a teenager is acting towards elders when we see it." Train nodded.

"Would you like some breakfast?" He cut straight to the chase.

"If it wouldn't be too much bother..."

"Don't worry about it. My partner's paying all the fees anyways." Alison laughed - and another memory stirred in the back of Train's mind. The same laugh. He didn't realize that he was daydreaming until Blake coughed pointedly.

"Oh...Sorry. Just... lost in memory... What would you like for breakfast?" He asked again.

"Anything's fine," Alison smiled.

"Scrambled eggs?" Train suggested.

"Sounds lovely."

* * *

A few minutes later, Train, Alison and Blake were seated around the table in awkward silence, eating the scrambled eggs that Train had scrambled together. It couldn't be more quiet at an funeral.

"So, how old are you, Train?" Alison asked, attempting conversation.

"Nineteen." Train noticed them start a little, and could tell that they were doing the math. If he was nineteen now, then 11 years ago... Thankfully, they didn't bring it up.

"And how long have you known Sven and Eve?" Blake asked conversationally.

"Oh, only two years or so." Train guessed the question that was coming next.

"What...what were you doing before then?" Alison asked.

"I was working for Chronos," Train stated clearly. Blake dropped his spoon. Alison choked on her scrambled eggs, and her husband had to pound her on the back. Train looked at Blake. "You knew that already, didn't you?"

Blake slowly nodded. "I could tell by the way you carried your gun was such confidence," He admitted. "I remember it from..." He swallowed. Train knew what he meant. "But I never expected... Chronos..."

"You couldn't have been that high up in the ranks, though, right?"

Train smiled sadly at the look on her face, and pulled down his shirt a little. Alison's eyes widened as the tattoo came into full view.

"Number XIII..." Alison whispered. "Black Cat." Train nodded.

"I heard that he was young, but I never expected..." Blake glanced at Train's face.

"The youngest to ever join the Numbers," Train confirmed. "Exactly. So if I were you, I wouldn't be hoping that I'm your son. One, I'm probably not, and two, you'll probably regret it anyways."

"Don't be daft," Alison snapped, and he started. "You already quit, didn't you? Besides, you had loads of chances to kill us if you wanted to, not to mention the fact that you saved our lives last night." She smiled. "So please..." Train was shocked to see tears on her face. "Don't speak about yourself like that..."Blake patted his wife on the back.

"She's right, you know," He told Train. "We haven't known you that long, but I can tell that you're a good person. We owe, and trust you, with our lives."

"Trusting your lives with these hands, that killed so many people?" Train said quietly.

"Stop saying that, Train!" The three looked up to see Eve standing in the stairway. She walked over, and placed her hands on Train's. "You've never been a cold-hearted assassin. You had the perfect chance to kill me, but you didn't, remember?"

"Princess..."

"You're not a killer anymore, Train," Eve insisted. Train smiled, and ruffled her hair.

"Thanks, Princess," He grinned.

"Oi, oi!" A annoyed voice called. "You didn't make me any breakfast?" Train laughed.

"Make it yourself, Grandpa!"

"DON'T CALL ME GRANDPA!"

* * *

Blake smiled as he saw the teen laugh. It was exactly like his son's, all those years ago.

**First things first, Train was _not_ crying when he put his head in his hands.**

**And before you start complaining about Train being OCC, I would like to remind you that he just found out that his parents are still alive after ELEVEN YEARS! His PARENTS! Can you blame me for making him a little emotional?**

**Okay! Thank you to: **

**TiffRedd1994, who gave me this idea.**

**Yuki, for being the first other person that actually bothered to read my story.**

**Triellblackwater, for being the second,**

**and Crimson Dragon Devil, who was the first member (Other then TiffRedd1994) to bother to read my story.**

**Thanks for the support, everyone! You all gave me inspiration to keep writing. No-one really seemed to like my story, so I was a bit reluctant to keep writing, but now I have motivation again!  
**


	4. Cottage in the Woods

**New chapter! Hope you like it! Sorry about the infrequent updates...it's the result of homework and laziness XD.  
**

**Disclaimer - I do not own Black Cat.**

**Cottage In The Woods  
**

"So, what are you gonna do now?" No-one had to ask what about. Alison bit her lip. Now that they'd been discovered, it wouldn't be safe to stay at the hideout any more. But where could they go?

"I suppose we should just leave," Blake murmured. Alison sighed, and nodded. It was for the best. Train, however, shook his head firmly.

"No way. Those guys are trained assassins." He sat back, raising an eyebrow. "And as far as I can tell, you two don't have a clue about self defense. Am I right?"

"I can fight if I need to," Blake said defensively.

"With a leg like that?"

"I can still fight!"

"Oh no you don't!" Alison and Eve said at the same time. Blake sighed, defeated.

"Alright, we can't fight. What do you propose we do?"

Train cocked his head. "Do you own a house?"

"Yeah...why?"

"This place has already been discovered," Sven explained, reappearing from the kitchen. "If you have another place that they don't know about, so much the better." Blake nodded. "Do you think that they know where you live? Have you had any attacks before yesterday?"

"Yes...but we don't think they know the specific location. The attacks have always been elsewhere." Sven nodded.

"That's good. Now, about the attacking business, I believe that we should stay with you for a while. That way, we can protect you."

"We couldn't do that!" Alison gasped. "It'll be far to dangerous for you three!" Train smirked.

"Trust me. We've been through worse. _Way_ worse." Alison still didn't seem convinced. "What? You don't believe us?"

"Train's right," Sven grinned. "We're pros at stuff like this. We sweep for a living, remember?"

"Are you sure? They send some pretty tough guys after us." Blake looked worried.

"Hey...are you underestimating us cause of our appearances?" Train snapped testily. Blake gave him a apologetic look. Train opened his mouth to complain when-

"SMASH!* The remaining downstairs window smashed open. Train gritted his teeth.

"Those guys a seriously starting to get on my nerves," he growled.

"I'll take care of it, Train," Eve said mildly.

"Be careful!" Sven told her. Eve nodded, and got up.

"What?! You're just gonna let a little girl like that go and face them?!" Alison cried.

"She's more than enough to handle those guys," Train yawned, glancing out of the remains of the window. Eve had transformed her hand into a hammer, and seemed to be enjoying herself as the 'trained assassins' scattered, screaming. Train could hear some like, "Help!", "Save me!", and his personal favorite, "I want my mommy!"

"What's with her hand?" Blake stared.

"Oh, sorry. Forgot to explain - most ungentlemanly of me. Eve is a bio-weapon," Sven informed the shocked couple. "She has the ability to transform herself at will. Those guys must be the weakling team," he added. "A test to see how strong we are. The real challenge comes after this. Don't get too relaxed, Train."

"DADDY!"

"But then again, it's kinda hard not to, though."

"Hey, do I smell something burning?" Train said suddenly.

"NO! MY BREAKFAST!" Sven dashed back into the kitchen, where the bacon now sat on the stove, resembling small chunks of charcoal.

* * *

"So, this is where you live?"

"Yup."

The house was small and insignificant. It was located in a out-of-the-way corner just out of town, with the front converted to a small shop. The walls were covered by all sorts of creeping plants, and invisible insects chirruped quietly in the thick bushes. They had arrived at Blake and Alison's place just before lunch, and Alison had made sandwiches. And much to Train's delight, they were salmon sandwiches.

"It's not much, but it keeps us in a low profile while still earning us some money," Blake said between a mouthful bread and salmon.

"It's so...peaceful," Eve smiled.

"Someone else obviously thinks so," Sven chuckled. "Take a look." The other three turned to where he was pointing.

Train was lying in the tall grass, contentedly spread out like a relaxed cat. The only part of him that moved was his chest, slowly rising and falling. His expression was peaceful, with a faint smile playing around his lips, as if he was having a pleasant dream. A unsuspecting butterfly, blue with two red spots on each wing, fluttered over, landing on his nose. It remained there, perched on his nose, lazily opening and closing it's wings, catching the rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, making a splash of bright color. Train slept on.

"We used to have a cottage like this, out of the city. We would take our son there in the weekends, before the Zero Numbers came," Alison said quietly, watching the sleeping boy. "Our son used to love dozing in the sun like that." Her eyes were moist. Sven started - so that was why Train seemed so at peace!

"I'm sure you'll find him someday," Sven said pointedly.

"Maybe...but the thing is, we're afraid," Alison hugged her knees. "Afraid that he's dead. Or, if he is alive, would he hate us? Hate us for leaving him alone all this time?" Tears tricked down her cheeks, and Blake patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm sure he wouldn't," Sven said, looking at Train. "In fact, I think he would really much want to see his parents again, but _he _would be scared." The couple followed his gaze Train, and seemed to understand the meaning.

_'I just wish that we can be sure,' _Sven thought sadly. _'Then he can finally allow himself to accept it.'_

**Sorry about the short chapter, and sorry again if it bored you or if it sounded stupid. It's the beginning of the cold weather here, and I had the heater on, so I feel really sleepy and comfortable. And so I decided to have this chapter like this. I'm not good with descriptions, so please don't blame me. There will be more action next chapter. Sorry about any OOCness. Sorry for saying sorry so much, I guess I just don't have that much confidence in my stories. Sorry about that.**

**Next Chapter - The Zero Numbers.**


	5. The Zero Numbers

**The Zero Numbers**

**Hello, everyone! Sorry for vanishing off the face of the earth for so long. I got abducted by some aliens, but I survived (barely) and now I'm back! :) Well, that's my excuse, anyways. **

**Disclaimer - How many times do we have to go through this? I DO NOT OWN BLACK CAT!**

"I love the smell of salmon in the morning," Train grinned, yawning and stretching lazily from the couch where he'd spent the night. Alison was frying the salmon that Blake had caught yesterday afternoon. They didn't have any other food in the house, since they're away gathering herbs so frequently. In fact, they had to set up a 'request box' for the customers outside the door, where people would submit the herbs they needed, and they would deliver them within a few days.

It was only six in the morning, but everyone was already awake. Blake was occupying the other couch, reading a book. Sven was reading the morning newspaper. Eve was working her way through yet another book that she'd started yesterday. Alison fidgeted a little, desperate to ask questions, yet not wanting to offend the young man who was currently relaxed on the couch.

"So, Train," Alison began awkwardly. Train blinked, instantly wide awake. Whenever people starts fidgeting and talked awkwardly, it was a sure sign that something was up. So Alison either wanted a) To ask him a favor, b) Try to distract him from something, or c) to ask him some questions. Train couldn't help but suspect the third possibility.

"Yeah? What's up?" Blake also looked up at this.

"Where... where are your..."

"My parents?" Train suggested. Alison shut her mouth and nodded, looking embarrassed. Blake was now paying 100% attention as well. Sven and Eve stopped what they were doing, and listened. After all, Train had made no mention of his past, and they respected his privacy. But now, if he's finally willing to talk...

"If you don't want to, you don't-" Alison began, but Train shook his head.

"No...no, it's fine." He stared at nowhere in particular, and began talking. "My parents were murdered in front of me when I was seven. That was when _he_ first appeared before me. Assassin for the Zero Numbers, Zagine Axelox." Alison drew a sharp breath. Blake dropped his book with a thud. Sven and Eve only waited. "I can't actually remember that much of what happened," Train went on, unconsciously fiddling with Hades, "But I remember a lot of blood. My parents were lying on the ground, dead." He gave a humorless chuckle. "I can't even remember their faces now." Eve walked over and sat next to Train, silently trying to comfort him. Train gave her a small smile before continuing. "After that, Zagine took me in. He taught me how to look after myself, how to handle weapons... and how to kill." The boy shrugged. "It was pretty harsh, but I didn't really care, as long as I could get my revenge on him. And I did try to - lots of times." He shook his head ruefully. "In the end, though, I wasn't the one that killed him. Some people from the Zero Number did that, I think. I came back from buying food, and found him dying on the sidewalk."

Alison hugged herself. _How could he speak about this so casually? _She wondered. If it was her, she would've been terrified. She still remembered the long-haired man, how he had pointed the gun at her and her husband. And the pain of the bullet. The feeling of her life draining out of her body... She shuddered. But how that she thought about it, she remembered a scream in the distance. It had seemed so far away. The voice of her son, yelling out, "MOM! DAD!" Then she had blacked out. The next thing she knew, she was on the bed at her friends house. they were lucky that her friend was a doctor. The bullet had missed her heart by millimeters, but by then they understood that they needed to disappear. They got her friend to spread the news that they had perished, and moved here. Shaking her head to clear the memory, Alison turned her attention back to Train.

"Anyways, after that, a man called Karl took me in to Chronos. He saw that I could handle a gun pretty well, and Chronos trained me to become the assassin known as Number Thirteen, Black Cat."

"Why are you willing to tell us all this?" Blake demanded. "I mean..." He didn't have to finish the thought.

Train shrugged. "I've kept my secrets for too long," he replied. "I know practically everything about Sven and Eve, but they don't know anything about me."

"Gods, you don't know how true that is!" Sven groaned. "Heck, it took us, like, _forever_ just to get him to tell us his name." Train grinned cheekily.

"But why are you telling this to _us_?" Blake questioned.

"You told us all about yourselves," Train reminded him. "It only seems fair. Besides," he added quietly, "keeping everything to yourself is what you do in Chronos. I left that life ages ago." The other thing was, he had this weird feeling telling him to trust those two people.

"Then why didn't you tell us earlier?" Sven snapped.

Train blinked innocently. "Cause you never asked!"

"So all this time, we only had to ask to find out your mysterious past that we've been dying to know?"

"Yup!"

Sven proceeded to fume silently in the corner.

"Hey! What's that noise?" Eve asked suddenly. Everyone froze, and listened. Sure enough, the distinct sound of a car engine was drawing closer and closer.

"Customers?" Sven asked.

That was when the gunfire broke out.

"Okaaaayyy... either that is a VERY angry customer, or the Zero Numbers here to kill us. What do ya all reckon?"

**Sorry, short chapter. It was only a small idea, but I wanted to give it it's own chapter. Sorry for any OOCness. I know Train most likely wouldn't reveal his past like that, but I really wanted to put it in, and I didn't know a better way to do it, so... Please don't hate me too much! **

**Please review!**


	6. Gunfire

**Hey! I'm already back with a new chapter! How fast was _that_? For me, that is. **

**I'm having a lot of fun writing this, so I would like to thank Tiffredd1994 for posting up the challenge! For all Black Cat fans out there, I strongly suggest you have a look at the challenge and consider accepting it. I'm sure your stories will turn out WAY better than mine. When I compare my work with all those other unbelievably awesome fanfics out there, I get so depressed. But ah well, life is full of ups and downs, as my mum likes to say. But hey, I do try.  
**

**Warning - Major OOCness in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer - I do not own Black Cat.**

**Gunfire**

"Get down!" Train physically pushed the couple down as the gunfire broke out, shattering the window, and several other things in the room.

"There goes the vase," Alison muttered as the delicate china vase shattered into tiny pieces.

"What a shame," Train shook his head.

"It was my favorite, too," Alison confessed.

"May it rest in pieces," Train said in a funeral voice, totally straight faced. Despite the situation, Alison couldn't help but smile a little. The young man had a way of finding humor in even the grimmest situations.

"Right. Now that we've mourned over the loss of that beautiful vase, can we get back to the people-trying-to-kill-us part?" Blake suggested. "I really don't like that part." Train laughed, and a memory within Alison stirred as she heard it. A memory of better days. Her husband and son were running around in the front yard. The young boy had fallen over, and was on the verge of tears. Then Blake had cheered him up by making funny faces, and ticking his son. The boy had laughed so hard that he was rolling on the ground, trying to get away from his father's teasing fingers. The same way of laughing. Not for the first time, she studied the young man crouched beside her. She couldn't shake the feeling that...

"Train!" Sven yelled. "Plan R!"

"What the _heck_ is plan R?"

"Plan Run For It!"

"Nice work, genius," Train muttered, rolling his eyes and pulling out his gun.

"I HEARD THAT! You got a better plan when we're surrounded like this with only one person that can fight?!"

"Well whose fault is it that you and Eve both can't fight in the first place?" Train snapped. "Hey...wait, then how did Eve fight those other guys last time?"

"Those guys were small-fries," Sven waved a hand impatiently. "Eve would've been fine. But as if I'm gonna let her go against armed men!"

"Those other guys were armed too!" Train pointed out.

"Besides the point!" Sven snapped. Train bit back a retort, and nodded. They couldn't risk turning this into a full-out fight with two innocent people involved. And as much as he enjoyed getting on Sven's nerves just for the sake of it, they didn't have the luxury of taking their time right now. Loading Hades, he stepped into the open and fired a few warning shots. The gunfire coming from outside slowed slightly.

"Now! Go! Through the back door!" Sven hissed. The couple nodded, Alison supporting her husband as they made their way to the small door on the other side of the house as fast as Blake's injured leg allowed, with Train occasionally firing off a shot outside to stop them from storming in.

Moments later, the group managed to make it out into the open air.

"Hurry!" Sven urged, beckoning. Train helped Alison load Blake into the car that Sven had parked out the back, and was about to hop in himself when a chuckle sounded from somewhere behind them. He spun around, aiming his gun. A man dressed in a dark jacket and sunglasses stood there, aiming a gun at his head. Neither gunman moved.

"Stand away from the couple, Black Cat," the man smiled. "If you do that, I assure you that neither you or your companions will be hurt."

"You've done enough," Alison murmured. "Leave us and go." Train shook his head firmly.

"That's not the way we work."

The man shrugged. "Then you leave me no choice."

Train was a blur, moving out of the way just as the bullet fired, missing him by inches. He closed the distance, bringing his leg upward in a kick that would shake the cranium if it made contact with the chin. The man jumped back, barely moving out of the way in time, then firing off three shots. Train dodged them all, then pulling the trigger of his own gun. The bullet sliced through the air, burying itself into the man's arm. The man howled as blood dripped onto the ground. He fell onto his knees.

"It's over," Train said, aiming the gun squarely at the man's chest. The man gave a crooked smile.

"Not yet, Black Cat," he croaked. A bullet sailed out from nowhere, and Train's eyes widened as he tried to dodge, but found that he couldn't. The man had clasped his hand tightly around Train's ankle, binding him in a vice-like grip. Train tried to move his arms, only to find that the man kneeling on the dirt in front of him had used his free hand to grab Train's gun hand as well. There wasn't enough time to switch hands. Train closed his eyes, bring his other hand up to shield his face, waiting for the explosion of pain.

It never came.

Train felt something dripping onto his face. It came with a smell that he knew only too well - blood. He opened his eyes slowly. Then he let out a cry of alarm.

Alison lent over him, smiling sadly. Blood dripped from the wound on her shoulder, from the bullet that she had taken for him.

"Why?" Train whispered. To his horror, he felt something build up, feeling a prickling sensation in eyes.

"Parental"-cough-"instincts, I guess." Alison managed a weak grin. "Mothers just have...the urge...to protect...kids." She coughed some more blood.

"You're so stupid," Train hissed, feeling something warm trickle down his face. "Who the heck would do something like that for someone they barely even know?"

Alison's eyes seemed far away. "Dunno...there's something...about you...reminds me of...my son..." Then she collapsed.

**Sorry! Another short chapter! Sorry for the Train OOCness as well, and I know that situation probably wouldn't happen in the real Black Cat anime/manga, but hey, this is a fanfic, right?**

**Sorry I'm so bad at writing stories... anyways...**

**Cliffhanger! Will Alison live? Will she die? Read next time to find out!**

**Please review! Good or bad comments are all appreciated!**


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